Official Astro statement on next gen compatibility with their headsets
#1

Got this email last night. Seems like PS4 USB voice chat will require a post launch update and the Xbox One adapter for headsets that don't use the new proprietary connection won't be available at launch. It also sounds like they have a gag on what they can say about their future Xbox One products now that they're a licensed Xbox One accessory manufacturer.

Over the past few months we have been asked by more than a few of our fans for more information on how ASTRO Gaming products will work with the upcomming next gen consols.

PS4: We can say with 100% certainty that our headsets will deliver Dolby ® Digital GAME AUDIO on the PS4, just like they do for the PS3. Our headsets will also deliver full voice chat functionality over the PlayStation Network upon Sony’s release of a post-launch PS4 firmware update.

Xbox One: Game Audio for the Xbox One will function as normal, through the optical output – meaning all our current products will deliver full Dolby ® Digital GAME AUDIO on the XBOX One. However, the chat connector on the controller is now a proprietary connector, meaning that our current products will require an adapter to connect to the controller for Xbox Live voice chat. Fortunately, until this chat adapter is available, the built-in Kinect microphone will provide full voice communication access to Xbox Live while using ASTRO headsets on the Xbox One.

Regarding new Xbox One products in our pipeline, we are an officially licensed Xbox One partner, but we are not allowed to comment on the specifics of any products we have under development. Rest assured, none of our current products will be made obsolete by anything going on in the Xbox One ecosystem.

If nothing else it really makes you appreciate the companies that are trying to figure out ways to make their current peripherals compatible with next-gen consoles. Even if it means that you might have to buy a cheap attachment to get full support.

I have an older mixamp and set of a40's that doesn't work over USB with PS3. I have to use the USB Fairy thing that turns USB into Mic out and Mic In.

But I thought maybe we could just do like the 360 does now and plug directly into the ps4 controller?

a friend of mine had that....was annoying. i set him up so that mic out was to Bluetooth so he just clipped it to his headphones and had sound/voice-in to phones and mic-out to btooth. but not doable on 360 just ps3. helped with wire clutter

Still using a 2009 A40 Audio System, so I already use a USB to analog adapter with the PS3, which should work the PS4 as well. Fuck Microsoft for not supporting the older standard connectors, making my $250 gaming headset system incompatible. Just another notch against the Bone.

Still using a 2009 A40 Audio System, so I already use a USB to analog adapter with the PS3, which should work the PS4 as well. Fuck Microsoft for not supporting the older standard connectors, making my $250 gaming headset system incompatible. Just another notch against the Bone.

You can still use Kinect if voice chat is your concern? Better than nothing I suppose.

Do these use USB to send data? or could I use my HDMI hub with optical out to plug in all my consoles to the headset and not have to constantly unplug stuff? Is the USB what sends the voice?

Optical is used for game audio on all consoles. You can hook up your HDMI hub to the mixamp via optical to avoid constantly unplugging stuff, but the voice chat signal connection will still require you to mess around with different cables depending on what systems you own.

USB is used for PC & PS3 voice chat. PS4 will work the same way, but it requires a post launch system update so USB v chat probably won't be available day 1.

For 360 voice chat you plug in a mic cable to the controller. On the Xbox One you still plug the headset to the controller, but cause the Xbox One controller has a proprietary audio connector you need to purchase an adapter to plug in the headset for v chat.

Yesterday, we received a note from Astro Gaming (whom we've recently spoken with about next-gen audio) indicating that their headsets will work for chat on the PlayStation 4… just not right away. This prompted us to dig a little deeper and find out what gaming headset owners can expect on November 15.

The answer we received from Sony is complicated. If you have a Sony-branded PULSE gaming headset (or the elite edition of that product), you will need to wait for a system update coming in the future. It seems that those will not work at all at launch.

Any other headset that relies on bluetooth for chat will not work at all. If you have something that relies on USB for chat (like the Astro mixamps and Astro A50 wireless system), you'll eventually be able to use those. An update will be coming in the future.

Any headset that relies on digital optical for game audio will continue to provide that out of the box. You just won't be able to chat yet.

The situation is similar for the Xbox One. The connector on the controller is completely different, and until Microsoft delivers the adapter it has promised, you won't be able chat using legacy devices. Both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will come with a headset in the box, and there's always the option to use the Kinect as a microphone (but if you have dogs or kids, please don't).

I think the Pulse headsets use a USB dongle to connect to the console instead of bluetooth. That article makes it sound like BT headsets won't be supported at all, USB headsets will require a post launch update, and the only option at launch will be wired headsets connected to the controller. That can't be right...

I think the Pulse headsets use a USB dongle to connect to the console instead of bluetooth. That article makes it sound like BT headsets won't be supported at all, USB headsets will require a post launch update, and the only option at launch will be wired headsets connected to the controller. That can't be right...

I think the Pulse headsets use a USB dongle to connect to the console instead of bluetooth. That article makes it sound like BT headsets won't be supported at all, USB headsets will require a post launch update, and the only option at launch will be wired headsets. : /

This is an interesting part of the statement from Sony

Any other headset that relies on bluetooth for chat will not work at all

I'm wondering if all the data that is being sent over Bluetooth now for the controller means that only chat headsets plugged in to the DS4 or directly through USB on the console (after the future update) will work. Maybe all the nifty light bar stuff like the pulsating lights when your weapon is talking in Transistor is taking up too much of the Bluetooth bandwidth?

Still using a 2009 A40 Audio System, so I already use a USB to analog adapter with the PS3, which should work the PS4 as well. Fuck Microsoft for not supporting the older standard connectors, making my $250 gaming headset system incompatible. Just another notch against the Bone.

Yea but you can't be surprised by this (I have the same system). This is why proprietary hardware standards exist and why they stink. I always hated that I could simply plug the A40 in my PC and PS3 while I had to use some crap mess of cables on 360 (I think for a while I was plugging the Mixamp into my PS3 just to power it).

I saw the GI article too. sounds wrong. on ps3 you can change chat input/output to btooth or USB and game audio as well and mix and match. why would they take this option from PS4? as a temp fix you can use toslink for audio and an btooth clipped on your shirt for chat or plug in the split cable that astro includes to the controller port for chat. there will be a temp workaround until USB chat is fixed.